The findings come after French law forced large restaurants (150+ covers) in the country to offer doggy bags in a bid to reduce food wastage.

The supermarket’s dining out survey also found that 80% of diners want tap water on the table at the beginning of their meal and 55% preferred an a la carte menu because of its flexibility.

Over half (52%) of those polled also said both customer service and the quality of the food are equally important when dining out and the most annoying example of bad customer service was waiters rushing them through dinner, according to 26% of diners.

When it comes to the bill, 59% of diners would ask to have the service charge removed after a bad dining experience. However, younger generations are much more uncomfortable asking than older age groups, only 47% of 18-24 year olds feel brave enough to ask, with this rising to 66% in the 55-plus bracket.

Elizabeth Carter, Waitrose Good Food Guide editor, said: “While there’s no doubt that diners are looking for excellent value from their local restaurants - 80% said free tap water should automatically be put on the table – being rushed through a meal is their biggest annoyance.

“As a regular victim of the two-hour booking slot and that other common wheeze, the second sitting, I believe local restaurants can offer genuine value, and a point of difference, by giving diners the time to enjoy a meal at a pace that suits them."

The Good Food Guide also launched its Local Restaurant of the Year Awards, previously called the ‘Readers’ awards. The awards aim to champion unsung restaurants and smaller, lesser known establishments.